Who is Johnny Marrocco. What are his achievements in lacrosse. How has he contributed to the University of Denver’s lacrosse program. What makes him stand out as a player.
Johnny Marrocco’s Lacrosse Journey: From Ohio to Denver
Johnny Marrocco, born on January 9, 2000, in Cincinnati, Ohio, has quickly become a rising star in the world of college lacrosse. His journey from a high school standout to a key player for the University of Denver’s lacrosse team is a testament to his skill, dedication, and passion for the sport.
Marrocco’s lacrosse career began to flourish in high school, where he earned numerous accolades. In 2018, he was named the Ohio Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, a prestigious honor that highlighted his exceptional abilities on the field. His talents weren’t limited to lacrosse, as he also excelled in football, earning First Team All-Greater Catholic League honors as a defensive back at St. X in 2017.
High School Achievements
- 2018 Ohio Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year
- First Team All Midwest Selection
- Led his team to the Ohio State Championship
- First Team All-Greater Catholic League (football)
- Second Team All-Ohio in 2017
These accomplishments set the stage for Marrocco’s collegiate career at the University of Denver, where he would continue to develop his skills and make significant contributions to the team’s success.
Freshman Year: Making an Immediate Impact
Marrocco wasted no time making his presence felt on the University of Denver’s lacrosse team. In his freshman year (2019), he played in nine games, showcasing his versatility and offensive prowess. During this debut season, Marrocco tallied seven points, consisting of four goals and three assists. He also demonstrated his all-around game by picking up six ground balls and forcing a turnover in the Denver ride.
One of the most impressive aspects of Marrocco’s freshman performance was his ability to step up in crucial moments. He recorded multiple points (1 goal, 1 assist) in three games, including both BIG EAST Tournament contests. This ability to perform under pressure hinted at the potential for a bright future in his collegiate career.
Freshman Year Statistics
- Games played: 9
- Total points: 7 (4 goals, 3 assists)
- Ground balls: 6
- Forced turnovers: 1
- Multiple-point games: 3
Sophomore Season: Adapting and Improving
Marrocco’s sophomore year (2020) was marked by continued growth and adaptation to the college game. Despite the season being cut short due to unforeseen circumstances, he managed to play in all six games, demonstrating his reliability and consistency. While his statistical output may have been limited, Marrocco’s contributions were still significant.
A highlight of his sophomore campaign came during Denver’s match against No. 10 Notre Dame. Marrocco scored his only goal of the season as part of a decisive 7-0 run, helping secure a 14-11 victory for the Pioneers. This moment underscored his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations against top-ranked opponents.
Sophomore Year Highlights
- Played in all 6 games of the shortened season
- Scored a crucial goal in the win against No. 10 Notre Dame
- Picked up a ground ball in Denver’s victory over St. Bonaventure
Junior Year: Expanding His Role
As Marrocco entered his junior year (2021), he continued to carve out a more significant role within the team. Playing in 11 games, he demonstrated improved offensive output and consistency. His stat line for the season included six points, evenly split between three goals and three assists. Additionally, Marrocco maintained his contributions in other areas of the game, collecting six ground balls and causing a turnover.
A notable aspect of Marrocco’s junior year was his ability to string together successful performances. He scored in back-to-back games against Providence and St. John’s, showcasing his growing confidence and offensive capabilities.
Junior Year Statistics
- Games played: 11
- Total points: 6 (3 goals, 3 assists)
- Ground balls: 6
- Caused turnovers: 1
- Consecutive scoring games: 2
Senior Season: Breakout Performance
Marrocco’s senior year (2022) marked a significant leap in his performance and role within the team. Starting all 15 games at attack, he emerged as a key offensive contributor for the Pioneers. His statistical output saw a dramatic increase across all categories, culminating in career-high numbers that solidified his position as a team leader.
During his senior campaign, Marrocco amassed an impressive 33 points, nearly doubling his career total from previous seasons combined. His balanced offensive game was evident in his 16 goals and 17 assists, demonstrating his ability to both finish plays and create opportunities for his teammates.
Senior Year Achievements
- Started all 15 games at attack
- Career-high 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists)
- 13 ground balls
- 4 forced turnovers
- Multiple goals in 5 games
- 3+ points in 6 games
Marrocco’s senior year performance was characterized by consistency and clutch play. He recorded multiple goals in each of his last three career games and in five games overall during the season. Furthermore, he tallied 3 or more points in six different contests, highlighting his ability to significantly impact games on a regular basis.
Career Overview: A Legacy of Growth and Achievement
Looking at Johnny Marrocco’s entire collegiate career, it’s clear that he embodied the ideals of continuous improvement and dedication to his craft. Over his four years at the University of Denver, Marrocco played in a total of 42 games, starting the final 15 of his career at the attack position.
His career statistics paint a picture of a well-rounded player who contributed in multiple facets of the game:
- Total points: 47
- Goals: 24
- Assists: 23
- Ground balls: 26
- Forced turnovers: 6
What stands out most about Marrocco’s career trajectory is the significant leap in production during his senior year. This improvement demonstrates his commitment to development and his ability to step into a leadership role when the team needed him most.
Beyond the Field: Johnny Marrocco’s Character and Interests
While Marrocco’s on-field achievements are impressive, his character and off-field interests provide a more complete picture of the person behind the player. As a student-athlete at the University of Denver, Marrocco embraced the unique opportunities provided by the school’s location and culture.
When asked about his choice to attend the University of Denver, Marrocco cited the “unique location for a traditional powerhouse” as a key factor. He also noted that the winning environment had created a culture of success both on and off the field, aligning with his personal goals and values.
Personal Interests and Community Involvement
- Enjoys skiing, golfing, and playing video games
- Member of the Big Brothers program
- Values the balance between athletic success and personal growth
Marrocco’s involvement in the Big Brothers program showcases his commitment to giving back to the community and mentoring younger individuals. This dedication to service speaks volumes about his character and the values he brings to his team and the university.
How does Marrocco’s well-rounded approach to student-athlete life contribute to his success on the field? By engaging in diverse activities and community service, Marrocco likely develops skills such as time management, leadership, and perspective that translate directly to his performance in lacrosse. This holistic approach to personal development often results in more resilient, adaptable athletes who can handle the pressures of high-level competition.
The Impact of Johnny Marrocco on University of Denver Lacrosse
Johnny Marrocco’s journey through the University of Denver’s lacrosse program is a testament to the power of perseverance, skill development, and leadership. From his freshman year to his senior season, Marrocco’s growth as a player and a person has left an indelible mark on the program.
How did Marrocco’s progression impact the team’s dynamics? As he developed into a key offensive contributor, Marrocco likely inspired his teammates to elevate their own games. His ability to both score and assist showcases a selfless style of play that can be contagious within a team setting.
Moreover, Marrocco’s consistent improvement year after year serves as a model for younger players in the program. It demonstrates the rewards of hard work, patience, and dedication to one’s craft. This type of leadership by example can have long-lasting effects on a program’s culture and success.
Legacy and Future Prospects
- Set an example of consistent improvement throughout his collegiate career
- Demonstrated versatility as both a scorer and playmaker
- Showed leadership through on-field performance and off-field community involvement
- Left the program with impressive career statistics and memorable performances
As Johnny Marrocco moves forward from his collegiate career, he leaves behind a legacy of growth, perseverance, and leadership at the University of Denver. His journey from a promising freshman to a standout senior serves as inspiration for future generations of lacrosse players at the university and beyond.
Will Marrocco’s success at the collegiate level translate to opportunities in professional lacrosse? While the future remains uncertain, his demonstrated ability to adapt, improve, and perform under pressure certainly positions him well for whatever challenges lie ahead, whether in lacrosse or other pursuits.
In conclusion, Johnny Marrocco’s story is not just about statistics and on-field achievements. It’s a narrative of personal growth, team contribution, and the embodiment of student-athlete ideals. His impact on the University of Denver’s lacrosse program extends beyond the scoresheet, influencing team culture and setting a standard for future players to aspire to.
Johnny Marrocco – Men’s Lacrosse
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Bio -
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Stats -
Historical
Biography
Career:
Played in 42 career games, starting the final 15 of his career at attack…Posted 47 points on 24 goals and 23 assists, including career-highs in all three categories in his senior year…Picked up 26 ground balls and forced six turnovers.
2022:
Played and started in all 15 games at attack…Posted 33 points on 16 goals and 17 assists…Pickup up 13 ground balls and forced four turnovers…Multiple goals in each of his last three career games and in five games in his senior year…3+ points in six games.
2021:
Played in 11 games, tallying six points on three goals and three assists to go with six ground balls and a caused turnover…Scored in back-to-back games against Providence and at St. John’s.
2020:
Played in all six games, scoring his only goal in the season as part of Denver’s decisive 7-0 run in a 14-11 win at No. 10 Notre Dame…Picked up a ground ball in Denver’s win over St. Bonaventure.
2019:
Played in nine games in his freshman season, tallying seven points on four goals and three assists…Picked up six ground balls and forced a turnover in the Denver ride…Had multiple points (1G,1A) in three games, including in both BIG EAST Tournament contests.
BEFORE DENVER:
2018 Ohio Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year in 2018…First Team All Midwest Selection, leading his team to the Ohio State Championship…First Team All-Greater Catholic League defensive back at St. X in 2017…Second Team All-Ohio in 2017.
PERSONAL:
Born on January 9, 2000 in Cincinnati, Ohio…..Son of John and Sara…Has two siblings: Christopher and Olivia…Chose the University of Denver because of the unique location for a traditional powerhouse, also noting that the winning environment has created a culture of success on and off the field. Also enjoys skiing, golfing and playing video games…Member of the Big Brothers program.
Statistics
Season:
Season Statistics
Season Statistics
No statistics available for this season.
Career Statistics
There are no statistics available for this player.
Historical Player Information
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2019Freshman
Attack
6’2″
205 lbs
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2020Sophomore
Attack
6’2″
195 lbs
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2021Junior
Attack
6’2″
195 lbs
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2022Senior
Attack
6’2″
195 lbs
My Amazing Friend Jonny.
Jonathan Lax — Yonatan Tuvia in Hebrew… | by Eitan Katz
9 min read
·
Sep 26, 2018
Jonathan Lax — Yonatan Tuvia in Hebrew — died suddenly and tragically on the morning of Tuesday, August 28th, 2018. In an all-too-brief but jam-packed 28 years, Jonny accomplished so much, and made a lasting impact on his family, friends, and community. Those who knew Jonny miss him with an indescribable yearning. However, it is the way in which he lived his life that taught so much to so many, and it is those “Jonny Values” that I want to share with you today.
Jonny was the oldest and the protector of his beloved siblings (left to right): Ethan, Amanda, and Rebecca
Jonny was extremely close with his family. As the oldest of four children, he was the protector, advocate, and role model for his best friend and brother, Ethan, and his two loving sisters, Amanda and Rebecca. He developed deep, meaningful, and loving relationships with friends from different walks of life: from growing up in Toronto, to his years away from home in Israel and New York City, and again when he moved back to Toronto to begin the adult chapters of his life.
I feel blessed and lucky to have known Jonny as I did.
For two years, from 2010 to 2012, Jonny and I were roommates at Yeshiva University. We quickly gained an appreciation for each other’s strengths and embraced each other’s weaknesses. We found we had much in common: our odd quirks, our strange sense of humor, our social anxieties, our love of female vocals and electronic music, our obsession with cereal and Snapple, and our need to play video games into the wee hours of the morning. We were both blessed (cursed?) with the creativity and imagination to discuss things or ideas that didn’t actually exist in such absurd detail it was as if they were sitting right there in front of us.
We were best friends, and we were inseparable.
Jonny and I only occasionally left our apartment — this time for a Leafs game
From morning to night for 24 months, we talked, laughed, cried, sang, danced, made fools of ourselves, made promises, and shared bold predictions about our futures: the places we’d go, the company we’d keep, the fun we’d have, and the impact we’d make.
We built each other up. At a time when we were both struggling to find ourselves, we made each other feel good about the people we were and the people we were trying to become. As friends, we professed our love for each other often, and we meant it.
Jonny and I developed an incredible level of trust, and always looked out for each other
In two years, Jonny never once said something to make me feel bad, nervous, anxious or self-conscious. He wanted me to be confident in myself. He wanted everyone in his life to feel loved, to feel like they belonged, to feel like they were special, to feel like their hopes and dreams were in fact their destiny.
We need more people like Jonny. We need to lift people up, encourage them, and do it in a way that is genuine and meaningful. Why do we so often strive to tear people down? To make them feel worthless, stupid, anxious, or excluded?
Jonny had no ego. In his 28 years on this earth, he concentrated his energy on those he loved — bringing them joy and laughter, and showing them affection, kindness, and generosity.
Jonny’s loving family (from left to right): Ethan, Amanda, Michael, Marsha, Rebecca, and Jonny
One of the first times Jonny and I really talked, he enthusiastically told me about his family’s amazing housekeeper, Lita, and how integral she was to his childhood and his home. He went on to tell me about his youngest sibling, Rebecca. He described her as being so smart and motivated, and mature beyond her years in a way that made Jonny so proud. He told me about his sister Amanda — he felt so lucky to have such a close and loving relationship with her, and was always so excited to see her when he went home. As for Ethan, his reputation somewhat preceded him. He was Jonny’s younger, but somehow taller brother. He was also Jonny’s best friend and confidant. Wherever Jonny went, so went Ethan. In fact, after Jonny moved back to Canada, I ended up rooming with Ethan for three years and building a similarly strong, loving, and brotherly relationship with him, both on his own merit, and because he had clearly inherited many of the same traits that I loved so much about his older brother.
With my larger-than-life brothers, Ethan and Jonny
I remember visiting Jonny in Toronto at some point during our stint at Yeshiva University. Throughout the weekend, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was at home. His family is so loving — his mother, Marsha, gave him huge hugs and kisses, and was clearly the emotional center of the Lax family. So much of Jonny’s emotional intelligence and ability to express love came from his mother and sisters. His father, Michael, reminded me so much of my own father — calm, collected, sharp, funny, confident. Michael is a loving, attentive father while also being a cornerstone of the Toronto Jewish community. He was Jonny’s role model. His idol. So much of Jonny’s personality, demeanor, sense of humor, and intelligence came from his father.
In terms Jonny and I may have joked about once, I’d say Jonny was a Marsha-Michael remix; they were the yin and yang of his core tendencies and motivations, his behavior and his aspirations.
With two of his closest friends on earth, Chaim, or as Jonny called him, ”Handbewk” (left) and Eli (right)Jonny’s “boys” (from left to right): Shragee, Aryeh, and Jesse
And then there were his friends: Aryeh, Shragee, Eli, Noam, Jesse, Chaim…I can’t list them all, but each of them was deeply influential in Jonny’s life, and they too were lucky to be the recipients of Jonny’s love, empathy, sense of humor, sense of adventure, and friendship.
I won’t speak on their behalf, but I will say as someone who was practically attached to Jonny’s hip for two years, his “boys” meant the world to him. Jonny LOVED his friends. He loved hosting them at our apartment or his house, he loved joking and laughing hysterically with them, he just loved spending time with them. Often in the face of tragedy people realize how important it is to spend more time with the people we love, but this was something Jonny did all along. It was an innate part of who he was. Between his family and his close friends, Jonny spent most of his short time in this world with the people he loved, building and nurturing incredible relationships and creating everlasting memories through intimate, shared experiences. He didn’t waste his time here, and all that effort and all those experiences ensure that those who loved Jonny will carry a piece of him in their hearts and minds, forever.
Jonny loved weddings , especially when he was celebrating a close friend — here he jumps for joy at Aryeh’s (second from right) wedding.
He later carried Aryeh on his shoulders to the Bedeken, singing louder and dancing harder with each step.
Almost every memory I have with Jonny makes me laugh, even now. He was the funniest person I’ve ever met. It wouldn’t be abnormal for our roommates, Aryeh and Noam, to walk into our apartment and find me keeled over, laughing uncontrollably and gasping for breath on the couch, as Jonny stood in the middle of the room putting on a hilarious performance complete with multiple characters, voices, sound effects, and faces.
Jonny had an incredible musical ear — here, he’s recording a sax solo for a song he collaborated on with Eli
Jonny was a genius, too. Just brilliant. Super creative and talented. He could put on a hysterical, multi-faceted storytelling performance, talk intelligently about the legitimacy of different scholarly perspectives on theology and science, and then compose an entire song all in a single night.
Jonny and I worked on this together and finished it in one night—admittedly, he did most of the work
He had a lot of wisdom and a lot of opinions.
He loved to read and he was super-curious. If you asked him something he didn’t know, he would spend hours learning all about it, and would be prepared to talk about it the next time you spoke. He taught me so much. And not just Wikipedia-style knowledge — he opened my mind up to different ways of thinking, behaving, and approaching problems. The very core of who I am today is the result of the time I spent with Jonny, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.
Apartment 55 minus Aryeh—my memories are filled with great Jonny stories from this apartment
Of course, not everything we did was so smart. But damnit, it was fun as hell and I’m so glad we did it.
That night on our roof with the laser, pretending it’s a light saber
There was the time Jonny bought Ninja Stars and we spent weeks honing our combat skills by whipping them across the room at an empty pizza box — it was only later we realized they went through the pizza box and left the wall looking like it was a prop in a horror movie.
I’ll also never forget when Jonny bought a military-grade laser pointer. This thing was INSANE. He showed me videos of it before it arrived — it could light a cigarette from 40 feet away. 40 feet! When it showed up, the first thing we did was burn a hole in our garbage can to test its potency (it worked). Later, we went to the roof of our building overlooking the city and watched in awe as the beam stretched all the way to the Empire State Building. Again, not our finest moment, but it’s something so uniquely Jonny that I want to share it, so I can remember it forever.
Even though Jonny was over six-feet tall, handsome as the devil, toned, athletic, and armed with super-human strength, he was actually just a big, cuddly teddy bear. A curious and loving child trapped inside a star quarterback’s body. And he got along so well with kids. I remember when he came to visit my family in Boston, he met my nephew Amiel, who was two years old at the time. By the end of a long weekend of them getting acquainted and playing hide and seek, Jonny had jokingly convinced Amiel that he was his father, constantly referring to him as “my son.
” For years after that weekend, Jonny would randomly ask me, “How’s my son?” I thought it was hilarious every time.
Jonny walked down the aisle at my wedding, handsome as ever
Being the big teddy bear he was, Jonny gave great hugs. Kids loved him and he loved them back. I’d say that almost everyone who met Jonny fell in love with him in some sense. It was hard not to. He was magnetic. He was always the life of the party even though he really, really didn’t want to be or intend to be. Despite all of the advantages he had in his life, he never looked down on other people, and he never lorded his good looks or status over anyone else. It wasn’t just that he was a good person — he was humble, almost to a fault.
Those Jonny Values came through in Jonny’s every move. The way he behaved, the way he spoke, and even the way he thought about other people — he truly had a heart of gold. The lessons he taught me are swirling around in my head, and I hope that by sharing my interpretation of them with you, we can both put our best foot forward and honor my amazing friend Yonatan Tuvia until we’re all reunited again in the world to come.
- Treat other people with kindness, empathy, and respect. No matter what. Remember, we’re all people, we all matter, and we’re all going through this often cruel but always beautiful world together.
- Love your friends and your family. That means making time for them, listening to them, being there for them, protecting them, and being loyal to them at all costs. They’re all you have.
- Build people up, don’t tear them down. We all have our anxieties, our quirks, our weird side. Making other people feel good about themselves is a superpower — use it as often as you can.
- Be authentic. Stop pretending. Be yourself. I once read that the thing people on their death-beds most regret is that they lived the life expected of them instead of a life true to themselves.
Jonny lived a life true to himself. He was sincere. He was my friend, my teacher, and my guide. My therapist and trusted advisor.
He was my partner in crime. And for a long time, he was the last person I saw before I went to sleep and the first person I saw when I woke up.
Jonny was my brother.
And I really miss my brother.
With my brother, Yonatan Tuvia, whose memory I will cherish always
Who is Henrietta Lacks and why are her cells so valuable to humanity?
In 1951, a young mother of five named Henrietta Lacks visited Johns Hopkins Hospital complaining of vaginal bleeding. On examination, gynecologist Dr. Howard Jones discovered a large malignant tumor on the cervix. At the time, Johns Hopkins was one of the few hospitals treating poor African Americans.
Family medicine doctor Christina Shevchenko talks about Henrietta Lacks and how her “eternal” cells help scientists.
Who is Henrietta Lacks?
Henrietta Lacks was born on August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia and took the name Loretta Pleasant, which she later changed. A few years after her birth, her mother, Eliza Lacks Pleasant, died while giving birth to one of Henrietta’s siblings.
Henrietta’s father, Johnny Pleasant, was unable to care for his 10 children and they were split between a family in Clover, Virginia. There, the family cultivated the tobacco fields where their ancestors worked as slaves.
After having two children, Henrietta married her cousin David “Day” Lacks. In 1941, the couple and their children moved to Turner Station, near Dundalk, Maryland.
In February 1951, Henrietta went to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, USA, with concerns about vaginal bleeding. The doctor discovered a tumor almost 20 cm in size on her cervix. Later, the diagnosis confirmed that it was cancer.
Henrietta Lacks Legacy
Medical records show that Mrs. Lacks began treatment with radium for cervical cancer. It was the best treatment for this terrible disease available at the time. A sample of her cancer cells, taken during a biopsy, was sent to the nearby laboratory of Dr. George Gay.
For years, Dr. Gay, a renowned oncology and virus researcher, collected cells from every patient who came to Johns Hopkins with cervical cancer, but each sample quickly died in the lab.
But after taking a tissue sample from Henrietta’s tumor, the doctor discovered that her tumor cells were unlike any he had ever seen – not only did Lacks’ tumor cells not die, but they doubled every 24 hours.
These incredible cells, nicknamed “HeLa cells” after the first two letters of her first and last name, are now being used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on cancer cell growth without human experimentation. Although Mrs. Lacks ultimately passed away at the age of 31, her cells continue to influence the medical world.
The development of a polio vaccine, the discovery of a link between cancer and the human papillomavirus, the recognition of the mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells of the body – all this mankind owes to HeLa, which are widely used throughout the world.
Immortal HeLa cell line
Approximately ten years after the discovery of the HeLa cell line, it became clear that cells can infect other colonies through the air and even through dirty hands.
Later, in the 1970s, a number of questions arose about the genetic purity of Lax cells. The scientists needed to find the members of Henrietta’s family and use them to create a “map of chromosomes”. Relatives could not believe that Henrietta’s cancer cells were still alive and were outraged that samples were taken from her without her consent.
Many years later, already in 2010, a book by American journalist Rebecca “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” was published. And again there was an ethical dilemma – the cells were taken without the consent of Lux or her family.
In 2013, researchers were able to decipher the genome of the Kyoto version of the HeLa lineage for the ENCODE project. Instead of 46 chromosomes (as in normal cells), extra copies were found – from 76 to 80 chromosomes, most of which were greatly altered. According to scientists, this could be the reason for the development of a very aggressive cancerous tumor in Henrietta Lacks.
The American Institutes of Health decided that the genome should be stored in a special database under the control of a working group, which, among other things, includes the relatives of Henrietta Lacks.
Now, in order to use Lax’s cells, researchers must mention Henrietta’s name in their scientific papers.
Always new discoveries
In 1953, HeLa cells were found to be easily infected by three polio viruses. This allowed the development of an inactivated vaccine, which later began to be used worldwide.
In the 1960s, HeLa cells were grown in a study carried out aboard a Soviet spacecraft. In the early 2000s, cells were sent to the Mir space station to investigate the possibility of cosmic ray damage to the genome.
In 1984, scientists from Germany identified the HPV type 18 virus in the HeLa line. They suspected that the cells could become cancerous precisely because of the virus type HPV18. Some time later, the head of the research group, Harald zur Hausen, was awarded the Nobel Prize for proving this hypothesis. This virus is now known to cause most cases of cervical cancer.
After the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, researchers wanted to find out how the coronavirus enters human cells, “cheating” membrane protection.
Various cell lines were used for this, including the HeLa line. SARS-CoV, the “big brother” of SARS-CoV-2, was known to attach to and cross the membrane ACE2 receptor. Scientists suspected that this mechanism could also work with the new coronavirus. However, it turned out that SARS-CoV-2 infects HeLa cells “poorly” due to too few receptors.
The Chinese researchers then modified the genome so that cells on the surface secrete the complete ACE2 protein so that the virus can enter. Thus, scientists have proven that this is the “front door” for infection. Currently, the HeLa cell line continues to be used to test vaccines against Covid-19.
According to various estimates, since the discovery of HeLa cells, researchers have grown more than 50 million tons of cells and published more than 70,000 scientific articles. In 2017, American artist Kadir Nelson called Henrietta Lacks “the mother of modern medicine”.
See also:
Vaccines that changed the history of the world: what diseases are defeated and when will the HIV vaccine appear
Bloodletting, urine baths and lethal doses of aspirin: the earlier they were treated during epidemics
What was sick before the coronavirus : 7 of the worst epidemics in human history
The strange story of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal cells
Prostoilogin
Author:
Prostoilogin
November 15, 2020 09:24
Henrietta Lux light August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia, USA, in the family of Eliza and Johnny Pleasant.
Source:
On her father’s side, she was descended from slaves who worked on a tobacco plantation, and on her mother’s side, she was descended from a white slave owner and former slave who, after liberation, remained to work on the plantation.
When the girl was 4 years old, her mother died at the birth of her 10th child.
The father, unable to take care of all the children, moved the family to Clover, Virginia, and the children began to live with relatives.
Loretta, now known as Henrietta (no one knows exactly why), settled with her grandfather Tommy Lacks in a house that used to house slaves on her great-grandfather’s plantation. She shared a room with her cousin David “Day” Lacks, who later became her husband.
Lux later moved to Halifax County, Maryland with her husband and 2 children, where she had three more children. Shortly after the birth of her last child, the woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
On October 4, 1951, at the age of 31, Henrietta died. But this did not happen to her cells
Source:
After Lux showed up at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the only one in the area that treated black patients, complaining of a “knot” inside, doctors diagnosed her with cancer and began treating her with radium implants, a harsh treatment standard at the time. .
During treatment, tissue samples were taken from the woman without her consent. After analyzing them, doctors found that Henrietta’s cells lived long after cells from all other samples had died outside of their host, continuing to reproduce at a very high rate. The cells became known as the “immortal HeLa cell line”.
The importance of these cells for research cannot be overestimated
Source:
Most cells cultured for laboratory research die within a few days, making it impossible to perform various tests on the sample.
Now, with an “immortal” cell that could divide and reproduce, scientists could do all sorts of research, from cloning to in vitro fertilization, that they hadn’t been able to before.
In 1954, Jonas Salk used Lacks cells in his research to develop a polio vaccine, mass-producing them to test his team’s product.
After that, Lax cells were in great demand and were produced for commercial and medical research by scientists around the world
Source:
In total, more than 50 million tons of its cells were produced, which were used in more than 60 thousand scientific studies. And all this happened without the consent of Henrietta and for many years without the knowledge of her family.
“25 years after Henrietta’s death, a scientist discovered that many cell cultures believed to be derived from other tissue types, including breast and prostate cells, were actually HeLa cells,” she told Smithsonian Magazine in 2010.
about her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, journalist Rebecca Skloot.
Scientists realized that HeLa cells could travel through the air on dust particles, get on unwashed hands, and infect other cultures in the same lab. This was a huge problem, so one team of researchers came up with the following solution: they would find Henrietta’s descendants and use their DNA to map her genes, which would determine which cell cultures were her cells and which were not.
However, another problem arose: when scientists tracked down her relatives, it turned out that they were completely unaware of the use of Henrietta’s cells and were terribly far from science. Her husband, who received a 3rd grade education, understood the phone call as follows:
“We have your wife. She is alive and in the lab. We have studied it for the last 25 years. And now we need to test your kids to see if they have cancer,” Skloot told Smithsonian Magazine.
For Deborah, Henrietta’s daughter, who was just a child when her mother died, the news was even more confusing.
According to Skloot, she asked if it hurt when her mother’s cells were cloned and injected with viruses.
Then the aspect of compensation inevitably arose.
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A family that had lived in poverty for many years and included one homeless person discovered that Lax’s cells were being used to create a multi-billion dollar industry.
Understandably, they were furious. Unfortunately, they did not have legal grounds to demand their share.
The fact is that in 1976, cells valuable for medical research were found in another cancer patient, John Moore. His blood cells produced a protein that could stimulate the growth of white blood cells. His doctor didn’t tell him about it. Instead, when the patient asked if he could have medical samples taken at the nearest medical practitioner for convenience, the doctor offered to pay for travel and accommodation.
Moore realized that this was not a clean affair until he was asked to sign a declaration “I voluntarily grant to the University of California all rights that I or my heirs may have in respect of any cell line or any other potential product that may be developed from blood and/or bone marrow obtained from me.”
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Later it became known that the doctor and his research assistant managed to profit from Moore’s cell line, so the man sued them. However, the California Supreme Court eventually ruled that a person has no right to his cells, even if they brought scientists a profit.
So the chances of getting money for the Lax cell line were very small. However, in 2013, scientists published the DNA of HeLa cells, which Rebecca Skloot did not fail to tell her family about. Concerns have arisen that genetic information has become publicly available not only about Lux, but also partially about her children and grandchildren.
So this time around, an agreement was reached that gave the family some control over the use of DNA data and forced scientists to list the family in scientific sequencing articles.
Henrietta Lacks, though she didn’t know it, has saved countless lives and contributed to many discoveries around the world.
Now, decades after her death, it’s finally about reimbursements. Indeed, in October 2020, a major biomedical research organization, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), donated a six-figure sum to the Henrietta Lacks Foundation.
“We felt it right to give Henriette credit for using the HeLa cells and acknowledge that the cells were not properly obtained,” Erin O’Shea, president of HHMI, told Nature.
“And recognize that we have a long way to go before science and medicine are truly fair.”
The Skloot-founded foundation provides grants to people who have participated in medical research without their knowledge and to families who have received nothing for this work.
